Gripper.



E. BAYARD, DEGD.

A. A. mum), sxncrmux.

GRIPPER.

APPLICATION TILED 001'. so, 1911.

1,068,842. Patented July 29, 12913.

MIA/55.63.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrios BAYARD, EXECUTRIX, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNQR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

GRIPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 29, 1913.

Original application filed June 17, 1910, Serial No. 567,529. Divided and this application filed Octolier 30, 1911 Serial No. 657,537,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that EMERY BAYARD, deceased, late of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, invented certain Improvements in Grippers, of which the following description, in gonnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to machines for working uppers over lasts and particularly to improved gripper mechanism for such machines and the present'application is a division of application Serial No. 567,529, filed June 17, 1910, for improvements in machines for use in the manufacture of boots and shoes.

A feature of this invention is found in a gripper having jaws to engage and pull an upper at the end of the toe and jaws to seize the upper at the corners of the toe. The toe jaws are usually employed to exert longitudinal tension onthe upper while the corner jaws do not necessarily apply a corresponding tension but serve the important purpose of straightening the upperover the corners of the last to reduce the unequal strains which result in wrinkles when the tip of the toe alone is gripped, and to bring the corners of the upper into positionto be bent inwardly over the last bottom as a part of the pulling-over operation preparatory to the lasting, or during the toe lasting if that is done while the shoe remains in the pulling-over machine. j

. In the illustrated embodiment of this invention the toe jaws and the corner jaws are.

separate and are connected to a common operating member through devices which perwhich is desirable for long and short uppers, and for similar adjustment of the toe gripper relatively to the side grippers for lasts having diiferences in longitudinal inclination, or pitch of their bottom faces,

A further feature is found in arranging the toe gripper for lateral movement and providing means for frictionally retaining the gripper in its lateral adjustment during its inward and outward operative movements.

Other features of the invention consist in combinations with the toe gripping jaws and the corner holding jaws of means for bending the corners of the upper inwardly in the pulling-over operation of means for forcing the corners inwardly in the lasting or the toe bending operation.

These and other features of this invention including certain details of construction and more important combinations of parts will be explained in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and will then be pointed out in the claims.

The gripper shown in the drawing which may be advantageously used to seize and pull the toe portion of a shoe is a modification of the gripper shown in United States Letters Patent No. 1,030,264, granted June 18, 1912, on application of Ronald F. Mc- Feely, and comprises in this embodiment of the invention a single carrier 100 having three pairs of jaws. One pair of jaws 102,

1.03 are centrally arranged and adapted to seize and pull the upper at the end of the toe while the other pairs of jaws which are alike are arranged to grip the upper at the corners of the toe. The inner jaws 102 of the end pair and 1041 of the side pair are rigidly attached to the carrier 100. The out er jaws 103, 105 105 are pivotally attached to the carrier which is suitably formed for this purpose as shown and also has guideways for each of three closing devices 110. Each closing device comprises a sliding frame having a roll 112 at its lower end to engage the inner side of the tail of the pivoted jaw and rock it to grip the stock against the fixed jaw, a hook bar 114 at its upper end to be detachablyengaged by a hook 115, and a pivoted latch 116 adapted for use in disengaging hook 115 from bar 114, These parts resemble those of said patent and operate to close thejaws and to uplift the entire gripper' mechanism for pulling the upper when the hooks are drawn upwardly. Each hook is pivotally connected at 118 to the forked foot 119 of a rod 120 which projects upwardly through a flange 122 of an operating bar 125 and is encircled by a spring 124. Each spring is adjustably regulated as to tension by a nut 126 by which the closing and the pulling force of the several pairs of grippers may be independently regulated, it being preferable to operate the corner jaws with a relatively light tension compared with the tension by which the end jaws hold and pull the upper.

The operating bar 125 is guided centrally in the gripper carrier 100 above which it projects to a connection with an operating lever 127. The operating bar is longitudinally recessed to receive a stiff closing spring 130 which rests at its lower end upon a shelf 132 projecting forwardly from the carrier 100 between the two sides of the bar. The carrier has at its upper end shoulders 134 in which are adjustable stops 135 to engage a portion 136 of the machine frame, in which the carrier is guided with provision for lateral positioning movement therein, being held in laterally adjusted position by a friction plate 138 against a back stop 137.

When the operating bar 125 is depressed, through the lever 127, it moves the carrier 100 and the entire gripper mechanism downwardly to a position in relation to the plane of the shoe bottom which is determined by the adjustment of the stops 135, the side grippers of the machine being similarly lowered to an appropriate receiving position relatively to the plane of the shoe bottom. Continued depression of bar 125 thereafter compresses the gripper closing spring 130, and through engagement of the parts 122, 119, 115, 114, depresses the closing frames 110, causing the hubs of the latches 116 to contact with the front of the tails of the pivoted jaws and turn them to open the jaws and hold them prepared for the insertion of the work. When the upward movement of the actuating lever 127 permits the spring 130 will raise the operating bar 125 which will act upwardly through the separate springs 124, rods 120, hooks 114, and closing frames 110 to elfect gripping of the upper by the several pairs of jaws with forces proportional to the relative tension of the several springs 124. The force of the spring 130 having been balanced by the resistance to further closing of the jaws the continued upward movement of the lever 127 and bar 125 acts through the described connections, including the independently adjustable springs 124 to lift the jaws while holding them closed by forces depending on the relative tension of said springs. If the springs of the corner jaws are under less tension than the spring of the toe end jaws then the upper may slip between the corner jaws after being lightly pulled and while the upper is being held and more strongly pulled by the toe end jaws. The jaws may be re leased in any desired order while the shoe is in the machine by the engagement, effected automatically, of suitably'arranged devices carried by the front tack arm with the latches 116, or by manual manipulation of said latches, or if desired, the jaws may retain their hold upon the upper until the shoe is to be released from the machine, the entire toe gripper mechanism having meanwhile received by well-known means described in ,,said patent an inward and down ward movement to facilitate the overworlc ing of the upper. The friction plate 138 holds the toe gripper in laterally adjusted position with a force that is responsive to laterally directed pressure of the operator against the gripper for positioning the gripper transversely of the machine for right and left shoes. The friction of the stops 135 against the frame faces 136 serves additionally to hold the gripper in laterally adjusted position while the gripper is in shoe receiving position, and is ineffective for the pur-- pose while the gripper is pulling the upper.

Having fully explained the nature of this invention and described how it may be embodied in suitable mechanism, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. A gripper for a pulling-over machine comprising in a single mechanism a pair of jaws constructed, arranged and actuated to seize an upper at the middle of the toe end of the shoe and pull it lengthwise of the last and pairs of jaws constructed, arranged and actuated to seize the upper at the corners of the toe and hold it straightened while the upper is being stretched by the middle grip per.

2. A gripper comprising a pair of jaws to seize an upper at the end of the toe, pairs of jaws to seize the upper and hold it with a relatively light grip at the corners of the toe, and operating means to cause said jaws to pull the upper.

3. A gripper comprising a pair of jaws to seize an upper yieldingly at the end of the toe, pairs of jaws arranged to seize the up per yieldingly at the corners of the toe, and means by which the holding force of the corner and end aws may be varied.

4. A gripper comprising jaws constructed and arranged to seize and pull an upper at the end and at opposite corners of the toe and operating means havingv connections with the several jaws, the connection with the jaws at the end of the toe being arranged to cause a greater tension on the upper than the connection with the jaws at the corners of the toe.

5. A gripper comprising jaws constructed and arranged 'to seize yieldingly and pull an upper at the end and at opposite corners of the toe and arranged to allow the upper at the corners of the toe to slip between the jaws while the upper at the endof the toe continues to be pulled.

6. A sectional gripper comprising three pairs of jaws which are independently yielding and are yieldingly connected to a single actuator, and said actuator.

7 A sectional gripper comprising three pairs of curved jaws arranged in close proximity to seize the upper at the opposite corners and the tip end of the toe of a shoe.

8. A sectional gripper comprising a central pair of jaws to engage an upper at the end of the toe of a shoe and a pair of curved jaws located on each side of the central pair and closely adjacent thereto to seize the upper at the opposite corners of the toe, and means to operate said gripper.

9. A sectional gripper comprising three pairs of jaws arranged to engage an upper about the toe end of a shoe, a single actuator for said gripper, separate springs through which said pairs of jaws are connected with the actuator and a spring common to all the jaws and through which movement is im parted to the gripper as a whole.

10. A gripper comprising a pair of aws, closing means therefor comprising a spring which is put under tension to open the jaws and close them by its expansion, and a second spring through which the first mentioned expanding spring transmits closing movement to the jaws.

11. A gripper comprising a plurality of pairs of jaws, one spring for closing all the jaws, an actuator and separate springs through which said actuator acts to lift different pairs of jaws.

12. A gripper comprising a pair of jaws to grip an upper at the end of the toe of a shoe and a pair of jaws to grip the upper at each corner of the toe, and a carrier com mon to all said pairs of jaws with operative connections to the several pairs of jaws adapted to vary the effect of the respective pairs of jaws on the end and the corners of the toe of the upper.

13. A gripper comprising a pair of jaws to grip an upper at the end of the toe of a shoe, and a pair of jaws to grip the upper at each corner of the toe, a carrier common to all said pairs of jaws, and independently yielding connections between the several pairs of jaws and the carrier.

1%. A gripper comprising a carrier and a plurality of pairs of aws relatively formed to present a substantially continuous curve extending around the toe of a shoe, and automatic operating means therefor through which pulling strains are produced by the jaws acting at'the end of the toe different from the strains produced by the jaws acting at either side of the end of the toe.

15. A gripper comprising the carrier 1 having ears arranged in pairs at substantially right angles to each other, jaws 102, 104 and 10 1 fixed in said ears, jaws 103, 105 and 105 pivoted in said ears and relatively adjustable means by which said pivoted jaws are caused to grip and hold the work against the rigid jaws.

16. A gripper comprising an operating bar 125,11. plurality of pairs of jaws, and means connecting said bar and con structed to cause said jaws to be alllifted together and to hold the upper with different forces.

17. A gripper comprising an operating bar 125, a carrier 100, a plurality of pairs of jaws mounted on the carrier and connections between the bar and the jaws permittin r variation in the closing movements of di 'erent pairs of jaws and insuring like uplifting movements of the jaws.

18. A gripper comprising a plurality of pairs of jaws connected for uplifting movement together and an operating bar having relatively yielding connections with said pairs of jaws including provisions to control variably the closing of the jaws but insure like lifting movements thereof.

19. A gripper comprising a plurality of pairs of jaws, an operating bar, separately yielding connections between the bar and pairs of jaws to effect variable gripping of the work, and also to effect uplifting of the jaws, and a connection between the pairs of jaws to insure simultaneous uplifting thereof.

20. A gripper comprising a plurality of pairs of jaws, connected means for simultaneously closing the pairs of jaws and capable of adjustment to vary the relative closing forces, and means compelling like uplifting movements of the pairs of jaws.

21. A gripper comprising a plurality of pairs of jaws, and connected means for simultaneously closing the pairs of jaws and capable of adjustment to vary the relative closing forces.

22. A gripper comprising a plurality of pairs of aws, and connected operating means therefor constructed and arranged to apply different closing forces to the several pairs of jaws and like uplifting forces.

23. A gripper comprising a plurality of pairs of jaws, an operating bar 125, relatively yielding connections 110, 115, 119, 120, 122, 124 between the bar and thejaws, and the carrier 100 with which the jaws are con nected to insure like uplifting movements of the pairs of jaws.

24. A gripper comprising a pair of curved jaws to grip an upper at the end of the toe of a shoe and a pair of appropriately different curved jaws to grip the upper at each corner of the toe, and a single carrier supporting all of said pairs of jaws.

25. A gripper comprising a pair of curved jaws to grip an upper at the end of the toe of a shoe and a pair of appropriately difl'erent curved jaws located at each corner of the toe, the several pairs of jaws being located so as to engage a continuous section of upper extending around the toe, and a single carrier for all of said jaws.

26. A gripper comprising a plurality of pairs of jaws, a single actuator for all of said jaws, and a separate spring between 5 each jaw and its actuator having provisions for adjustment to independently regulate the closing force of each jaw.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of 20 Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

